Piano



June 23, 1942. so 2,287,503

PIANO Filed Aug. 1, 1941 IN V EN TOR.

fl DZ Tyson Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATE$ PATENT QFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to pianos and more especially to a means wherebya singing tone is produced every time the strings are sounded.

Another object is to provide an attachment for pianos which can beinstalled readily where vibrations can be transmitted thereto from thesounding board, there being a vibratory element constituting a part ofthe device which will produce the desired hum or singing quality andcause the hum to continue for a short time after the vibration of thesounding board has ceased.

A still further object is to provide an attachment which is simple inconstruction and can be installed in a space otherwise unused in theinstrument.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a section through a portion of a soundingboard showing the present attachment combined therewith, parts beingbroken away.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section through a portion of the spring forminga part of the attachment.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified structureapplicableonore especially to grand pianos.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified construction.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, S designates aportion of the sounding board of an upright piano, a rib being shown insection at R. Pivotally mounted on the vertical stanchion or frame F atthe back of the sounding board is a lever l which can be arcuate, asshown, orof any other desired configuration, this lever being adapted tomove freely on its pivot 2. One end of the lever contacts with one endof a pin P connected to and projecting from the back surface of thesounding board, this being located preferably close to or back of thebass bridge at a point several inches from the treble bridge. It hasbeen found desirable not to place this pin on a rib near or on thebridge. That end of the lever remote from the pin P has connected to itone end of a coiled spring 3 which is constant- 1y under tension and isanchored at its other end to the stanchion or frame as shown. Thisspring, which in practice, can be from four to six inches in length andapproximately three-eighths of an inch in diameter, is under constanttension for the purpose of holding lever l in firm contact with the pinP. Thus when the sounding board is vibrated as a result of the action ofthe piano hammers on the strings, the vibrations will be transmittedthrough lever Z to the spring 3 and this spring will continue to vibrateafter vibration of the sounding board has ceased. This results in theproduction of a singing sound or hum which produces a distinctivequality of tone. For the purpose of preventing the spring from hummingor singing with a metallic tone, a small strip of felt 4 can bestretched longitudinally within the convolutions of the spring, thisstrip being fastened at its ends to the screws 5 or the like used forholding the spring in place.

Where the invention is applied to a grand piano a lever B can bepivotally mounted at 1 on the stanchion F beneath the sounding board S,one arm of the lever, as shown, being positioned for contact with oneend of a pin P depending from the sounding board. The other arm of thelever has a. coiled spring anchored thereto and to the stanchion F, thisspring being indicated at H and of proper length to produce the desiredvibration frequency. The lever can be in the form of a bell-crank asshown.

Under some conditions a wooden spring could be used, this springconstituting a reed adapted to hum or sing when vibrated. Such anarrangement has been shown in Figure 4 wherein the sounding board S hasa pin P in contact with one end portion of the wooden reed or spring Mthe other end of which is fastened, as at l5, to the stanchion F Thespring or reed can be reduced in thickness as indicated at I! to insurethe proper frequency of vibration and obviously when the sounding boardis vibrated, the vibrations will be transmitted to the reed which. inturn, will continue to vibrate after the sounding board has ceased tovibrate.

In all of the structures illustrated the tone produced by striking thestrings will be prolonged in the form of a hum and, as before stated,this results in a quality of tone which has been found very desirableunder certain conditions.

Obviously various other modifications of the hum-producing element canbe used without departing from the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stringed musical instrument the combination with a frame, and asounding board having a string side and a back side, of a springconnected at one end only to the instrument frame and having a vibratoryportion substantially parallel with the sounding board, andthrust-transmitting means between the other end of the spring and theback side of the sounding board.

2. In a stringed musical instrument the combination with a soundingboard having a string side and a back side, of a spring connected at oneend to the instrument and having a vibratory portion substantiallyparallel with the sounding board, and thrust-transmitting means betweenthe spring and the back side of the sounding board, said means includinga lever fulcrumed between its ends, one of said ends being attached tothe spring, and a pin carried by the back side of the sounding board andbearing against the other end of the lever.

3. In a stringed musical instrument the combination with a soundingboard having a string side and a, back side, of a hum-producing coiledspring back of the sounding board and anchored at one end,thrust-transmitting means between the other end of said spring and theback side of the sounding board, and a strip of soft material extendinglongitudinally of and contacting with the spring.

ARCHIE MITCHELL TYSON.

